1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to modems. More specifically the present invention relates to a communications card modem for a personal computer useful as an external modem for a variety of user input devices such as a hand-held computing device.
2. The Relevant Technology
Many hand-held computing devices are emerging as invaluable configurations particularly useful for organizing and storing user input information. Some of those configurations are known as personal data assistance (PDA) devices. In general, PDA's are compact and streamlined user input/interface devices possessing a modest footprint which facilitates mobility and ease of storage. As such, PDA's have been vying with, and proven beneficial as alternatives to, desktop and personal computers (PC's).
Many PDA's are even beginning to communicate with other computing system configurations in order to download their stored data onto larger storage platforms. This frees precious storage space in the PDA and affords a user more capabilities to manage their data, in the context of other programs, when downloaded to another configuration. Typically, the download has been effectuated via various data communication devices such as serial port interfaces, modems, transmitters and other similar devices useful in transferring data.
This transfer, however, has involved compromise. For example, some PDA's require the use of a modem in a desktop style computer which results in a cumbersome transfer of data because desktop computers are relatively awkward and bulky to use. Since desktop computers are also relatively immobile, data transfer from PDA's cannot take place in environments not accessible to desktop computers. Detrimentally, many of these environments include places frequently necessitating the transfer of data such as airplanes, vehicles and public phone booths.
Many times, PDA's interface with a PC to transfer data via the communications card modem therein. Since data is conventionally transferred in a serial manner, PC's require an additional serial port to accommodate the PDA which increases equipment costs. Moreover, many serial ports on a PC need an adapter in order to communicate with the serial port on the PDA. Not only does this too increase costs, but adapters are often forgotten by the user because they are an additional piece of computing equipment. Adapters also require electrical compatibility which frequently does not exist. In turn, the data transfer capabilities of the PDA are rendered ineffective.
Moreover, the communications card modem in a PC requires the use of the PC to supply power to the modem. Thus, to transfer data from a PDA to another computing configuration via the phone lines, for example, a PDA user must also carry along the PC for powering the modem. This is cumbersome and superfluous.
Bypassing the modem links of desktops and PC's and directly configuring an internal modem into a PDA, however, compromises the streamlined and compact nature of the PDA. This also adds expense.
Ever-evolving PDA technology is also giving rise to various other methods of transferring data. Such other methods include infrared and radio transmission schemes. Since most computing system configurations are presently unable to communicate by infrared or radio, it is economically desirous to adapt presently existing configurations to these evolving technologies instead of redesigning and developing new configurations. It is also convenient to adapt these existing configurations because of their ubiquity.
Accordingly, it is desirous to find alternatives for efficaciously transferring data from user input devices, such as hand-held PDA's, to various other computing system configurations.